Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Elsangtone 1086 DB

• (H)elsington(e) Hy3 ChrP 1372

• Elsindon 1244 Ass

• Elsinton 1260 FF

• Elsyngton 1332 SR

• (H)ilsington(e) Hy3 ChrP 1372

• Ilsington(e) 1257 FF 1270 ChrP 1372 HTax 1664

• Ilsynton(e) 1280 Ipm

• Ilsinton(e) 1285 Ch

• Ils(s)yngton(e) 1306 ChrP 1372 AOMB 1539

• Isyngton 1405 AddRoll

• Islington 1795 Boswell

Etymology

Probably 'farm called after Ælfsige', from the OE  pers.n. Ælfsige (WSax  *I (e )lfsige ) (as suggested by Ekwall DEPN), and -ingtūn, cf. Ilfracombe D 46 (Ælf -, *I (e )lfrǣd ), Ilsington D 475 (possibly *I (e )lfstān ); however the name may alternatively be taken to mean 'farm at Ilsing (< Ælfsiging , I (e )lfsiging )' ('Ælfsige's place'), v. -ing 2 , cf. the related Ilsyngbere , the old name for Ilsington Wd infra which lies just N of Ilsington itself. Fägersten 178 suggests that the pers.n. is Elesa , but while formally possible (with e > i before a dental, v. Jordan 54), this OE pers.n. is extremely rare. There was a mill here in 1086 DB.